Thursday, October 9, 2008

Halloween in August?

I went to Target today with my friend Amy. I puffy heart Tar-jay and so does she, so it made for the perfect outing! I wound up with socks, but my kids scored some cool stuff and of course I got Halloween candy.

Mind you, I get no trick or treaters at my house.

Still, I get the candy.

So does Amy.

K wants to set up a spooky trail ride for some of her friends, so she asked me to get some Halloween stuff to hang off the trees. Sure, K, no problem.

I must back up and say I don't really enjoy Halloween. Yes, I have fond memories of trick or treating with my brother and sister and sorting all our candy when we got home, and then trading it, and then keeping it hidden in my closet and making it last until Christmas. The whole costume thing disturbed me... the sweaty plastic masks, the snow jacket under the plastic costume, the not knowing who was coming up to you, the year my mom dressed me in a trash bag and called me a raisin, and on it goes.

So, in Target today I sauntered over to the Halloween section and was floored by how large it was! There were costumes, decorations, candy, goodie bag treats, talking candy bowls, large Frankensteins, an adult's chicken costume and more candy. Remember in the 70's when you just walked into KMart the week before Halloween and bought your plastic costume in a box and a few bags of candy?

Now, you have to plan your costume in August because what you want will be gone by the end of September.

The good news is, the Christmas decorations were starting to appear in the back corner.

I get a little crazy in the Tar-jay too...and we have THREE within a 5 mile radius of my house. You'd think I'd be sooo over it by now. but I'm not. And you'd also think I'd quick buying so much freakin' candy when we rarely get more than 4 or 5 trick-or-treaters the entire night.

Halloween is BIG business here. I can't believe how elaborate the costumes are. And then there are the yard decorations that are every bit as BIG as the Christmas decorations. My kids are ticked right now because our house is not decorated with halloween inflatables and lights and even temporary fencing like the neighbors'.

I don't like Halloween at all. I'm lazy and don't like having to come up with costumes for the kids and I hate spending money on a costume that will be trashed by the end of the night. Once I bribed my kids to not go out trick or treating with buying them each a bag of any candy they wanted. The next year they said they weren't falling for that scam. Geez.

I LOOOOOVE Target. I don't know how we survived in the Northeast before it. Oh yeah, Bradlees.

I read that Halloween is the second biggest money-maker for the retail industry after Christmas. And I believe it.

I hate to say it, but I've become one of those moms who starts planning the costumes in August. And the boys must coordinate. Two years ago: Buzz and Woody. Last year: Batman and Robin (so. freakin. cute.). This year: Darth Vadar and Luke skywalker.